PARAnormal
by Rabby
Summary: Asked to "catch" an item of value, the boys stumble across something of terrible importance and possibly worse consequences. Not even Kakei predicts the calamitous outcome of their side-job, leaving Kazahaya’s life at dire risk. T-M! Chapter 11 is now up!
1. Chapter 1: Speed

PART ONE: SPEED

_How fast is fast?_

Kudo Kazahaya found himself pondering this question an irritating number of times since his stint at Suiryo. The all-boys school had managed to alter just a few too many of his previously unchallenged perceptions of the world. But this one kept popping into his head.

Nayuki-san had practically made it a point to bring Kazahaya's attention to Rikuou's physical… prowess, if nothing else. He was a strong athlete, fast, scored goals…

Kazahaya had enough personal experience to warrant being wary of Rikuou when he was out of eyesight. Unfortunately, that was exactly where Kazahaya would prefer to keep him. Out of sight and out of mind. The guy, however, had the extremely annoying habit of surprising him from behind. He could be quiet and stealthy.

But Rikuou… fast?

If anything, Kazahaya had only ever found the other boy to be, well… _slow_.

Slow. Kazahaya allowed himself a silent grin, carefully keeping his face away from Saiga or Rikuou. Slow: yes. In numerous senses. Stupid, simple, slow. (Though "smarmy, sarcastic and smart-ass" came to mind as well, they somehow didn't fit with the image he was trying to create, so he locked those thoughts away feeling anything but guilty.)

However, if regular people perceived Himura Rikuou to be a fast runner… Kazahaya could call to mind several instances where he'd easily outdistanced the other boy during special assignments…

And there it was again. Rikuou _had_ commented on Kazahaya being abnormally quick on his feet – like the (also abnormal) cat they'd been chasing after. Kazahaya distinctly recalled the bigger guy lumbering to catch up in comparison. It had seemed as though it had taken him ages. Rikuou's comment had, at the time, been regarded as merely another barb from the sulky man, but now, the more he thought about it, the more it stuck out like a thorn in his memory. It tore, if only slightly, at common sense, leaving him confused and wondering.

If Himura Rikuou was fast, and Kudo Kazahaya more-so…

_How fast is fast?_

And why did it bother him so much?


	2. Chapter 2: Taking Stock

PART TWO: TAKING STOCK

Rikuou was neither surprised nor irritated when Kakei-san requested that he and Kazahaya see him in his office. Kazahaya, curiously, looked a little of both, but more than anything he was like a ball of pent-up energy, simply waiting to be released.

Or get paid.

Okay, it was "get paid" and very little else.

Taking inventory was boring and relatively taxing, however, and Kakei normally left side-jobs for other days. When it came time to take stock of the million-and-one tiny household items it took to fill the shop for anyone to entertain the thought of it being a respectable pharmacy, it was all hands on deck to get it done. Even Saiga (presumably asleep) behind the till was out to lend a hand, so to speak.

To be fair, counting the million-and-one items and checking them off a list was an essential job towards keeping a roof over all of their heads, but remained among the more mundane jobs. A side-job would be welcome respite from the monotony – even if he knew they were simply leaving the task unfinished temporarily. Saiga wasn't likely to be much more help than he already was, let alone conscious, so they would probably return from the excursion exactly in time to resume their previous routine of counting and triple-checking.

Kazahaya's mood, however, kept bothering Rikuou. If there was ever a guy to wear his heart and emotions on his face… Not his sleeve or locked away comfortably where Rikuou wouldn't have to see it…

But no- the other boy was vexed.

Over what or why really didn't matter – there was a job at hand, and the prospects of getting it finished successfully were already softening the tension. The corners of his mouth, and gradually his body, began to relax.

And it was nearly forgotten – until Kakei began to elaborate on their mission.

"I need you to _catch_ something for me."

Rikuou would have smirked as he saw Saiga slip silently behind Kazahaya, leaning close to his ear, but suddenly that uneasiness hovering about the other boy leapt back in force.

Rather like his entire body, jumping like a startled rabbit, the instant Saiga spoke directly by his ear.

"Catch? Here's your man!" Saiga let out a hearty laugh at Kazahaya's yelp of surprise, his little trick having had had the desired effect. "Invisible fireflies in the winter, lost kittens on the run? You're working up quite the résumé here, boy!" he grinned, slapping the red-faced youth good-naturedly on the back.

"Quite so," added Kakei. "So – do you boys think you'd like to take the job? It should be relatively simple to accomplish tonight."

Knowing the inevitable outcome, Rikuou grunted out what might be construed (by some) as an agreeable, "What do you need?" before he even realised that Kazahaya had yet to put a word in. Losing no more time, however, he nodded and slipped back behind that strange mask he was trying to maintain. Neither high interest nor indifference.

"I'll catch it."

Too formal. Not enough Kazahaya. He wasn't playing this role well at all.

"I need the money," he added.

Much better.


	3. Chapter 3: Evasion

PART THREE: EVASION

"You think you should be a little more straight with them?"

Kakei smiled warmly to him. That warmth meant very little during conversations such as these. As much as Saiga teased the boys that Kakei had ulterior motives and a mean streak, he wasn't entirely sure if he should ever fully trust that smile. Nevertheless, he did. He could hardly help it. And if he didn't trust the smile, well… There were other things. But the man behind that smile was the real tease.

"Kudo-kun needs the money. If he knew too much, it might freak him out. So I'll tell him what he needs to hear."

"Not what he needs to know."

"Oh, he'll find out what he needs to know… When he needs to know it."

Saiga stood and stretched before slipping behind Kakei's chair. He leaned in to close the distance between their bodies. Warmth spread up from their shared contact. There were some advantages to having the kids away, whether they came back bruised and bewildered or not.

Whether they accomplished their mission or not.

However much money Kakei agreed to pay Kazahaya, it wouldn't be enough. Never quite enough. Not enough to move out on his own. No… Kakei would keep the kid as close as he could, for as long as he could. They needed him too much to let him know what a tight reign they had on him. Rikuou, too, needed him, whether he knew it or not. Hell, maybe the boy had already begun to guess what kinds of uses Kazahaya's skill could be to him personally.

Enough to weave it around to bother them both, when worded correctly, he grinned.

"You always do that," Kakei murmured, pulling him out of his reverie enough to re-ignite the sensations coursing through his body. His fingers had found their way to the familiar territory of snaking along Kakei's neck, dipping below the lip of his turtleneck. He felt his pulse quicken, felt him sigh.

"You never seem to tire of it," he retorted.

Kakei laughed softly, nuzzling his face gently against Saiga's arm. "If you do it all the time I might become desensitised. You run the risk of overdose if you do it all the time. Then how will you seduce me?"

Saiga regarded the smaller man with affection, brushing the familiar column of his neck with practised fingertips, slipping lower to trace his collarbone. "I'm sure I'd find a way."

"I'm certain you would… But you were speaking of the boys?"

_Damn him_, Saiga thought. Try to talk about the kids, you get something else. Start to get somewhere else, it's back to the children. "_Kids_…" he muttered.

Kakei laughed.

"Whatever I told them, they'd have gone anyway. This way they get to learn more about life on their own."

"Life's consequences, you mean. What happens when you don't ask your employer questions."

"Blind faith is a rare and beautiful thing," Kakei smiled. "But despite its beauty, I'm sure there is a good reason why it is rare. I'd rather not break him of it, but I've always found it's best to let things play out on their own. Aside from that," he added with a smirk, "those boys are old enough to play on their own, don't you think?"

Saiga had stopped being interested in this conversation about five minutes ago. He nibbled at Kakei's sensitive flesh, trying to draw a reaction of pleasure or pain. Kakei was apparently feeling evasive on all fronts tonight, however. He sighed.

"Boys will be boys, as they say," he concluded, giving into his partner's change of subject once again. "But still. At least once in a while, give them a little warning, eh?"

Kakei laughed out loud as his hands found Saiga's. "The future is a funny thing," he murmured, pressing the man's palms to his lips. "One should never reveal everything that will or may happen, even if he can. It would spoil the surprise, however sweet or fruitless."

"Fruitless, hm? You think this will turn out to be fruitless?"

Kakei shot him that smile again – and suddenly he was almost certain he could place his entire trust in it. "Fruitless for some. But in the meantime," he said, extricating himself from Saiga's arms, "I have inventory to continue right now." And he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4: S:Train

PART FOUR: S-TRAIN

Kazahaya still felt frustrated by the time he and his giant companion were off. Normally he hated inventory, but tonight it had helped to drown out the thoughts buzzing noisily through his head.

Still… It would be great not to have to finish! He was sure to be tired, if even conscious, by the time they got back, and he was sure he couldn't round up the patience to go through another day of inventory so soon after narrowly escaping the first.

"You'll have to get this done tonight if you can, or continue to go back until you complete it to the client's satisfaction," Kakei-san had said. "Rikuou, I would like you to wear this for the duration of this job." At this he proffered a sick-mask - still in its store packaging, Kazahaya realised. He had been taking inventory of that item. 36. Rikuou simply nodded and accepted the item.

"What about me?" Kazahaya had asked nervously.

"We'll need all of your senses clear for this one, Kudo-kun," Kakei had offered, looking apologetic. "I'm very sorry. If there was any way we could… But you wouldn't be able to complete the mission if that were the case. You understand, don't you?"

The intensity in the man's face stabbed dangerously at Kazahaya's gut until he found himself apologising for having even asked.

"It's okay! I'll do it! It isn't a problem!" The bottom line would always be the money.

Their supplies for this side-job were about as meagre as ever, if a little baffling, but he could hardly argue. Rikuou stood across from him in the car of the S-train donning the white hygienic mask of either a sick person or one taken with severe allergies. 35, he thought grudgingly. Despite the orders having come from Kakei-san that Rikuou must wear it, he allowed himself to feel some amount of frustration towards Rikuou instead. Now his numbers would be off.

On the bright side, their few fellow passengers on the 11:45 p.m. train were eyeing Rikuou and wherever he rested his hands with poorly disguised distrust, giving him a wide berth.

Rikuou was being made the social outcast for the night, and that was fine with Kazahaya.

Kakei-san had asked them to catch the 11:45 S-train and to disembark at a specific underground stop. The station there was derelict and slated to be shut down the following week. For all intents and purposes the stop was only operational now as a transfer location, while the station above ground had been closed off from public access, save for emergency fire escapes.

Once at the station in question the two youths would wait an hour and a half. If nothing out of the ordinary happened during that time, they were to return to Green Drug and report their findings – or lack thereof. Kazahaya noted dryly that he should have asked more about what "anything" might mean – it was too late to mention now, with only Rikuou to berate him for it.

But it was so simple. Their job was simply to catch a train! An easy job already half done, and he was home free from taking inventory.

Standing on the shuddering platform as S-train pulled away, Kazahaya took in a deep lungful of air, but it was anything but gratifying. He coughed and sputtered a moment later, nearly retching before he could regain his composure. Apparently this assignment had just a little more to it…


	5. Chapter 5: Stench

PART FIVE: STENCH

"So what did Kakei-san say we were waiting for?"

Rikuou had been going over that in his own mind, too, digging for answers or any clues that he knew weren't there.

"He didn't."

His voice was muffled through the sick-mask. He wanting to rip it off and drink in lungfuls of unfiltered air. He felt like a muzzled dog (and an idiot), but two things kept him from throwing the hated thing on the ground.

One was that it was part of the conditions for the job.

The other was that it _reeked_ down there.

It wasn't any of the usual suspects, either, as far as he could tell. Stale urine was entirely different, though it and the smell of musty cigarettes and street drugs were present. There could be stagnant pools of water collecting in any of the dimly lit areas they were surrounded by; the flickering fluorescent lights made it difficult to make out many details of their confines. The musk of disrepair loomed about them, but all of it was overpowered by the other scent.

Kazahaya was already looking queasy.

"What _is_ that?" he gasped, trying in vain to regulate his breathing to adopt a more out-than-in pattern. "It stinks," he added unnecessarily.

"Who knows. Could be tons of things," Rikuou shrugged, adjusting the mask over his face. "It doesn't smell like piss. Maybe there's a pile of dead rats around the corner with your name on it." Kazahaya blanched a little, glancing at him. "Of course," he added cruelly, unable to resist, "where there's one there's usually more. So if there's a pile of dead ones you can bet there'll be an even bigger pile feeding on it…"

That did the trick.

At that moment Kazahaya's hands flew up towards the mask. Rikuou jerked his head back instinctively but caught the smaller boy's wrists easily.

"I am NOT breathing in dead rat, thank you!" the boy shouted, the sound bouncing off all the walls and stretching away into the darkness of the opposing curves of the tunnel.

"No, you probably aren't," Rikuou admitted, shifting his grasp so that he had both of Kazahaya's scrawny wrists detained in one large hand.

The boy looked furious, the scant lighting playing with the hues in his eyes. Crimson danced dangerously along amber and Rikuou felt the kid try to twist and squirm his way out of that grip. Finally, however, he just started pulling.

"Where do you think you're going?" The flickering light would probably mask his smirk. "You're going to pull yourself onto the tracks."

"Smells better over there."

"It smells the same."

"Maybe if _you_ had to _smell_ it, you would be able to tell the difference."

It would be a moot point that he could indeed smell whatever "it" was, but Rikuou couldn't suppress his next grin. "Are you going all catlike on me again? Is it the rat obsession?"

There was silence for a moment before Kazahaya continued to squirm.

"Let _go_."

Go. It was such a short word; Rikuou was instantly annoyed by how obnoxiously long it took for Kazahaya to say it. So he held firm.

"Why – so you can stumble into oncoming trains? Or maybe you want to get yourself electrocuted?"

"Does that really happen?"

So easily distracted. Kazahaya was more of a mystery the more he learned about him. The more he learned how little Kazahaya had ever learned about how the world around him worked.

"Why don't you hop on down and let me know. Just don't blame me if your whiskers get singed." He let go.


	6. Chapter 6: Graffiti

PART SIX: GRAFFITI

The flickering light overhead was quickly resolving the shapes around Kazahaya into a potent headache.

An hour and a half was going to pass by very slowly indeed. Rubbing absently at his wrists where Rikuou had restrained him, he considered their mission.

Surely Kakei could have chosen another, perhaps less pungent, deserted subway platform on which they could wait before their train returned. The overpowering smell and Rikuou's jests had left him wary of sitting anywhere the stench might find a way of creeping into his clothing and following him home. It probably would anyway. That thought made his skin crawl.

Rikuou had settled comfortably, leaning against the brick wall at the back of the platform, apparently oblivious to the scent or where it might be coming from. He'd chosen an odd spot, Kazahaya considered, looking at him from some distance off.

Stretching away on either side of Rikuou were cryptic designs spray-painted in an almost V-shape, Rikuou in the centre. The effect was that it looked as though they extended from his body as strange graffiti wings. Some of it looked like English characters, other parts simply looked complicated and intricately entwined. In any case, the boy seemed content to lean there for the next one and a half hours.

After pacing the length of the platform several times, Kazahaya decided that his earlier assumption that it smelled less the closer he got to the tracks was correct. As he stood at the edge of the platform a subway train approached, taking the slight curve of the station at full, screeching speed. Kazahaya's instincts told him he should jump back from the speeding vehicle, but other senses detected something special. Something about the shaft of air being pushed and pulled along with the subway cars. Something familiar and sweet. Something he was gasping for.

Clean air.

It was stale from being pushed around in the underground, but compared to what he had just been breathing, it smelled like pure oxygen spiked with the building excitement of an electrical storm in mid-summer. So much sweeter than the oppressive scent that had surrounded him only a moment ago…

And that was returning now, with a vengeance. It was dizzying and intoxicating after the thrilling rush of clean air.

"Ha!" he called triumphantly, trying to ignore the air reverting to its putrid state, addressing the dark figure against the wall. It had its arms crossed and had barely moved since had installed itself there. "I was right!" Kazahaya continued, undeterred by his companion's apparent lack of interest. "It _does_ smell better down in the shaft!"

"Kakei wanted us to stay here for a reason," Rikuou replied, shifting irritably. "We won't get paid if we go to a different station just because it stinks."

"I didn't say we should leave," Kazahaya grumbled. "Just that this smell is only around this stop."

The statue shrugged.

"No other trains have actually stopped here yet…" No reaction. "Do you think the one we catch home is the only one that'll stop?"

"It could be."

Three more trains passed without stopping before Kazahaya spoke again. He wondered if inventory would have been more rewarding than this, but dismissed the thought quickly. Inventory was never good – smell or no smell. As the fourth train passed, however, he allowed his mind to wander over their present job again.

"So we're supposed to be here for some length of time…" He left the thought unfinished as he lost himself to his imagination.

"What's your point?" Rikuou pressed.

"Well… Maybe this job has something to do with that smell? Like its origins. Maybe we aren't just supposed to be catching trains?"

"Did you have something particular in mind?" Rikuou looked dubious.

Kazahaya paused, steeling himself. "I don't know…" He felt dizzy. "Did you really mean it that rats might be down here…?" He regretted saying it almost immediately.

"You really are clueless, aren't you… How can anyone not know as much as you? In any case, the only thing Kakei gave us to work with was this," he continued, tapping his mask.

"I know plenty of things!" Kazahaya bristled. Under his breath he added, "And I know plenty more about _you_ than you might think."

For a long moment Kazahaya thought he'd taken a huge misstep; Rikuou had heard him. He must have. The bigger boy seemed to speed forwards with unnatural agility, his shadow lengthening and stretching behind him – but…

Rikuou hadn't moved. Just for a split second Kazahaya could have sworn…

The shadows around Rikuou continued to elongate, pulling strings of graffiti-speckled walls I tight around him, squeezing the room close around them. The spray-painted tags bubbled from vibrant colours to smoky black as though an ink-soaked brush was being dipped in a pan of water. A vertical pan of water that made up the whole of the wall. Kazahaya took a step back.

Then another.

"Stop!"

Rikuou's voice sounded somehow deeper. It also sounded strangely high-pitched. It was like there were three strands of noise creating words. He looked taller. The walls were pushing him closer still, and his arms were no longer crossed; they were reaching for him. Those hands were becoming claws, were transforming before him, and he knew they would rip into his flesh, tear open his ribcage, pull him inside out and _squeeze_.

He tried to close his eyes. Things only became more muted, a black and white film through a light fog. His ears popped as the sound of rushing, crashing water filled them.

"Rikuou," he pleaded, "_Run…!_"


	7. Chapter 7: Passage

PART SEVEN: PASSAGE

Rikuou grabbed Kazahaya by the hand and pulled him in as hard as he could. He felt something crack in the smaller boy's wrist. It couldn't be helped. He could have dislocated his shoulder but it still wouldn't have mattered. Warm air rushed at him, screeching noises surrounding him, bouncing off the walls and ringing in his ears. Dirt blew up and blinded him for a long instant.

The train finally slowed and, for the first time since their arrival, came to a complete stop. And the doors opened. With a quick glance around the derelict station platform, he pulled Kazahaya into the train just as the doors closed. The train didn't stop here for long he realised. Nobody would be using this platform soon anyway. It was surprising that this train had even stopped at all. If it hadn't already been slowing down, he realised, brow furrowing, he might not have been able to pull Kazahaya, hallucinating and falling out of consciousness, back to safety in time.

After making a cursory check that the boy was unhurt, apart from the wrist, Rikuou gave himself a chance to glance around the subway car. Looking around, he realised they had stepped onto their returning train. One hour exactly had passed.

And that would have to do.

There was no way he was dragging an unconscious and hallucinating Kazahaya back to that platform when only moments ago it had seemed imperative that they leave. Maybe it wasn't the prescribed hour and a half wait, but _something_ had happened and it would suffice. Frightening images of Kazahaya, wild-eyed and terrified backing up towards the tracks, the rumble of the oncoming train rattling the lights raced through his memory. As his pulse began to settle he gradually managed to filter out those images from his mind.

He took a moment to try to check Kazahaya's wrist, but this produced a weak groan from the blond and he decided it was best left to the professionals. Surely Kakei would set him right, despite the fact that he was a pharmacist rather than a licensed doctor. And that was exactly where they were going.

The late-night crowd at his connection regarded him with obvious hostility; a big guy like him dragging around an unconscious teen who looked younger than him… He'd been in this situation enough times to be used to it, but he was never comfortable with it. He was sure he was usually taken for some sort of pervert, or that he was dragging his fellow drunk or druggie home. Of course, he _was_ bringing him to the Green Drug Store, so maybe the latter was true in some sense.

On their connecting train, Rikuou set the boy on a seat and perched beside him. Holding him steady by the shoulders he tried gently to rouse him. It was usually a fool's errand, but it made him feel at least slightly less creepy.

"Kazahaya," he repeated for the third time, "Wake up." He was prepared to give up for the time being as more people filtered into their car when he felt Kazahaya's body twitch in his arms.

"Rik-…" he choked out.

Rikuou sighed. "It's okay," he tried to say calmly. If Kazahaya was fine, he felt he could allow himself to feel irritated. What had happened with the kid this time? How quickly would it fade? What had he touched that he shouldn't have? And, of course, did Kakei know this was going to happen?

"The smell…"

"It's alright. We're away from it now."

"You…" Rikuou felt a tug at the corners of his mouth; he'd saved Kazahaya's ass yet again. "You stink…" the boy finished, and Rikuou felt both his success and sympathy fade quickly.

"And you're a freak," Rikuou retorted, even as he felt Kazahaya's body grow limp again in his arms.


	8. Chapter 8: Freak

PART EIGHT: FREAK

Memories floated lightly over the surface of Kazahaya's mind. He felt like he should be reaching out and pulling one of them – any of them – closer to him. Just to be thinking of _something_. But the more he tried to pull the less his body would obey. His arm ached, but apart from that, his entire being felt too heavy to do so much as shift. A thick, pungent liquid surrounded him on all sides, making his movements slow, clumsy and ineffective. It constricted his lungs and it became an effort to breathe.

He felt paralysed.

And suddenly he had a memory.

Kakei sent Rikuou to the back to sort something; a mundane chore that Kazahaya was happy to capitalise on _not_ having to do. Instead he allowed his mind to wander. There were no customers in the store, so conversation would probably be safe.

It was a random, probably stupid, question, but he'd been wondering for a while and inevitably he blurted it out.

"Kakei-san…? What does _para_ mean?"

Kakei looked up from a collection of bottles of which he was checking the labels and smiled easily. It was the look that made Kazahaya know that conversation was okay and he wasn't about to be reprimanded by anyone for not working harder.

"_Para_ means a lot of things. What did you have in mind? In Japanese?"

Kazahaya thought for a moment before replying. "In English so many words begin with "_para_" but I don't understand if it's really connected or not. Paramedic, I guess, was what made me think of it. Then there's paradise…" He racked his brain for a moment. Kakei would wait for him to make his case. It probably meant he was making an idiot of himself, but it was better to do it in front of Kakei-san than Rikuou. "Parasol? Parallel? … Parachute?"

"Ah." Kakei regarded him for a moment before replying. "_Para_ is a prefix, as you may have noticed, but it can actually mean very different things." He tapped a long finger thoughtfully against his chin. "For example, in your 'paramedic,' the prefix _para_, from the Greek, means that paramedics work alongside medics and doctors to help people. Very much the same as parallel, where two or more lines run alongside one another. It means side-by-side, more or less."

He took a seat, setting aside the labels for another time. "Parachute and parasol, however… Those are from the French prefix, 'to guard against'. And so a parachute will guard you against the wind, a parasol from _sol_ – the sun. Paradise, of course, doesn't actually use the prefix _para_; the word has simply built up to become what it is. Essentially, I believe it means 'walled garden'."

Kakei smiled again. "Of course, if you want to know about it in Japanese, para is a kind of dance, Kudo-kun. Were you interested in learning?"

"What? Ah – no." Kazahaya took a breath and pressed on. "What about paranormal?" That was the one that kept him wondering the most. "Does it mean alongside normal, or against normal?"

"I suppose that could depend," Kakei replied, picking up another bottle and inspecting its inscription before referencing it against a stack of papers. "Are your powers paranormal, Kudo-kun? Are they something that exist alongside normalcy, or are they completely different and in opposition with normalcy?"

Kazahaya puzzled over this for a moment, waiting for Kakei to expound more of his vast wisdom onto him, but he had become, once again, absorbed in his paperwork.

Unfortunately this left Kazahaya feeling less than comfortable with the answers he'd been given. His innocent question had led to some serious self-doubt. Was he completely abnormal? A freak? Or was he part of a delicate balance of nature – and therefore normal and essential?

As he turned to resume his own tasks, he caught sight of Rikuou regarding him from across the room, apparently finished with his work in the storage room. How long had he been listening?

Kazahaya scowled at him as he passed his mop further away from the back room, defences high, but Rikuou never brought the topic up.

Nevertheless, it didn't stop Kazahaya from beginning to wonder in just how many ways he was strange?

…How fast was fast…?


	9. Chapter 9: The Catch

PART NINE: THE CATCH

"You're home early," Kakei said, glancing at Rikuou from over a shelf has he entered the store. The other boy was slung over a shoulder; Kakei had to wonder if Kazahaya's body didn't ever protest to being manhandled so often. "You were unsuccessful, I presume?"

Rikuou didn't answer immediately, instead lowering Kazahaya to the ground. "Something's wrong with him," he muttered. The sick-mask dangled loosely around his neck, completely forgotten. Kakei hoped it hadn't been like that for _too_ long.

"Bring him into the office and we'll have a look at him. You may have to ask Saiga to move over," he added, checking a number off on his clipboard. How many times would Kazahaya have to be brought home like this? How had he coped before running away if this was how his body reacted every time he touched something? Or had it always been like that?

As he entered the office, however, those thoughts slipped away. Saiga was looking on uneasily as Rikuou deposited Kazahaya across the bench. The unconscious boy looked uncharacteristically pale, his breathing laboured. Rikuou seemed to be taking special care with the boy's right hand; it was inflamed. Kakei frowned.

"What did he touch this time?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" 'Nothing' didn't do this to a person.

"He started freaking out over something – something he was seeing – and then he fell."

Saiga glanced at Kakei gravely. Kakei really wished he hadn't.

"What?" asked Rikuou, picking up on the serious atmosphere of the room. "This doesn't really have anything to do with the job, does it?"

"It might," Kakei admitted, passing a hand over Kazahaya's forehead. It was too warm, the pale skin clammy. "He's sick," he said.

"Damn!" Saiga swore, thumping a fist against the desk. "It shouldn't have put him out like that! What was he doing, standing in the middle of the damn tracks?"

Rikuou looked alarmed at this. "Practically. He stood right next to them the entire time, even with trains passing. Then he nearly fell right in front of one." He paused, glancing at Kazahaya's wrist, then turned looking straight at Kakei. "You knew this was going to happen? That he would get sick?" His eyes were dangerously clear.

Saiga rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We didn't think he'd get it this badly. If he hadn't been standing so close…" Rikuou wrenched out of his grip.

"I thought the assignment was for us to _catch_ something!"

"He caught it," Kakei replied quietly, standing to fetch a damp cloth. This wasn't what he'd had in mind. He hadn't foreseen this happening. Kazahaya was worse than anyone had described in the first stages.

Rikuou started. "A virus?"

"No," he replied, wishing he'd never sent the boys on this job. He should have realised it would be more dangerous than their usual excursions. That there could be a serious hitch and even more serious consequences. Brushing the hair away from Kazahaya's face, he finally amended, "Not a virus. A parasite."


	10. Chapter 10: Conditions

PART TEN: CONDITIONS

Somebody had wanted to learn about the parasite and how it matured. All of that began with a host: Kudo Kazahaya.

The reason for the sick-mask had become immediately apparent, even without Kakei's explanation. Kazahaya was supposed to get sick. Rikuou wasn't. Kazahaya would be, as desired by the client, infected in the earliest stage. Now the stages seemed to have rushed straight to maturity.

"The theory is that the parasite feeds first off of the original carrier – or host – and then adapts to its surrounding conditions – in this case the subway tunnel. It creates an airborne fungus that then infects its human host through the lungs. The platform you were on had exemplary conditions for the parasite to multiply. It needs, however, fresh air to survive the first stages of development inside the human host, and then to be exposed once again to its original conditions. Kudo-kun wasn't supposed to have gone back to the platform, so it was assumed that the parasite would die immediately. Then blood samples could be obtained and the parasite further studied." Kakei explained.

"So him standing so close to the tracks…"

"Was unanticipated. Did he ever explain _why_ he stood so close?"

"He thought it smelled better." Rikuou scowled. "It all smelled the same to me."

Kakei nodded. "The boy has amazing senses. He must have exposed himself to as much fresh air as was possible. Whenever a train would pass, the gust of air would provide the parasite a brief chance to begin multiplying. In conjunction, being exposed again to the air of the platform… He provided the perfect atmosphere for the parasite to grow and manifest in an extremely short period of time."

"So does the client get what they were looking for?" Asked Rikuou bitterly. It wasn't often he blamed Kakei for anything that happened on their missions. This time, however, he felt they should have been made aware of what had been laid before them. Kakei should have told them.

_I should have asked._

"It's doubtful that Kazahaya will be of much use to the client in his current condition," Kakei sighed, changing the damp cloth on the boy's forehead. "The information you were able to gather regarding the environmental conditions for the ideal host, however, will be useful in the study of the parasite."

"That doesn't help Kazahaya though…" Rikuou ventured.

"It might," Saiga put in. "If the client can learn anything new from this information it could serve to help us treat him."

"So neither of you actually _knows_ how to treat him?"

"For the time being, no." Kakei was dressing Kazahaya's wrist now. "For now all we can do is to take care of him and let his body fight the parasite."

The dark-haired boy leaned forward in his seat eagerly. "How does it do that?"

"Fevers, to begin with. His immune system is working hard to expunge the foreign bodies – hard enough to cause fever." He paused, glancing at his hands. "We'll have to be vigilant that his body temperature doesn't rise too high, though. Otherwise the fever could become severe – hyperprexia – serious enough to kill him or burn out brain cells."

Rikuou blinked. "His immune system? Shouldn't that be keeping him _alive_? Not _killing_ him?"

The older man shook his head. "The human body will go to extremes when it needs to – and no one is there to tell it when to stop. It will fight to the death, even if it turns the body, essentially, into a weapon against itself. It doesn't always know moderation."

"So if his own body doesn't kill him, what about the parasite? What exactly does it do?"

"To begin with, it searches for a human host with a particular genetic exception. For most people the parasite would have nothing to latch onto and their bodies would easily fight it off."

"But Kazahaya?"

"Kudou-kun is psychometric. The condition that makes him different from others – just as you have unusual abilities."

"So it could have been me instead," grumbled Rikuou. "Why did you give the sick-mask to me instead of him?" His voice was raised through gritted teeth. Saiga sat next to him with a sigh.

"Easy, kid."

"As I said," Kakei resumed regretfully, "we never anticipated the parasite taking such a strong effect on him. The early stages were never reported to be so severe; he may have bypassed them in their infancywhen he inadvertently provided the parasite its ideal conditions… But to answer your question: Kazahaya's powers are, in some senses, enhanced when he is unwell, allowing him to maintain their threshold. The parasite feeds off those abilities, but if he can keep them strong enough for his body to fight off the parasite, he should be alright."

Grimacing, Rikuou added, "Sure – just a few brain cells missing; he'll be good as new." Much as under normal circumstances it would be something to tease the other boy about, the situation was too grave to even consider that possibility. Maybe if Kazahaya came out of it with a clear bill of health and his brain intact it would become a possibility. Until then…

Kakei looked him in the eye and held his gaze for a moment. "Which is why we need to find a cure first. If and when Kudo-kun regains consciousness, he will no doubt become driven to bring you back to that platform."

"What?" Rikuou, forcing himself to ignore the 'if' part of that statement, cocked an eyebrow warily. "Why? Does the parasite need exposure to its original atmosphere again?"

"No," replied Kakei. "The parasite has already successfully attached itself to Kudo-kun. In this case he'll be driven subconsciously to expose _you_ to those conditions."

"Side-effects, huh?"

"Parasites live to breed."

* * *

Author's Note: I realize that it has been a very long time since this one has been updated! Sorry to all of you who were so kind to Watch this story! I appreciate it so much and it's what has kept me inspired to work through to the end (one day…)! I should be updating some chapters soon – now that summer's here I can do things that are more fun than college! But I really, really want to thank the wondrous people who took the time to review – and especially those who will continue to review! I take your criticisms and comments to heart and am working to make longer chapters for you!! Otherwise I would probably just keep adding smaller pieces… The next few will remain shortish, because they were written back when I wrote the rest, but I had to work hard to tweak some important details before releasing them to the wild. So, if you'd like to read more, please review each or any chapter! It's something that I know readers look for in good fics, so if you think it's worth it, let people know! ;3 (LOL If not, then I guess I can't say anything…) -Rabby


	11. Chapter 11: Parasitoid

Kakei had neglected to mention that others were not as convinced as he was that what they were dealing with was a simple parasite. There was a huge difference between that belief and others – and now Kudo was being forced to test the theory.

Until now he'd been confident. Confident that what they were dealing with was a parasite – and that by catching it in the earliest stage he and the client would be able to reverse any effects – though in that first stage of simply carrying the parasite it was unlikely that any would have surfaced. Easy, even. Having not foreseen any contradicting visions or complications, he hadn't worried. Perhaps, he mused miserably, he should have simply let the simple risk outweigh the other possibilities. It had seemed so elementary.

If he could maintain Kudo's fever without allowing it to evolve into hyperprexia, Kudo was more than likely to wake up. Of course, he hadn't had any visions recently that supported one particular theory over another.

If Kudo woke up, who knew how advanced his side effects would be? Likely strong enough to make the boy uncomfortable in his own skin. Kakei was counting on that. Kudo wasn't the kind of kid familiar with the sexual frustration he was likely to endure; intercourse was just another way the parasite would try to breed for itself.

Reportedly it would also attempt, in small ways, to adjust Kudo's body to be more appealing; sexual pheromones like androstenol would project youth and healthiness – which was not entirely accurate with the parasite present, and androstadienone would be in abundance, attracting both male and female partners. Mydriasis dilated the pupils; would make his eyes stand out and look – if possible – more innocent and appealing. All of this adding to the fact that he would probably feel like an enormous mixing pot of raging hormones. Reportedly anyone with any kind of psychic powers was likely to attract the parasite -and thus the host-, making them smell and possibly even look irresistibly appealing… And hopefully all of that would keep Kudo uncomfortable enough to refrain from doing anything about it.

Saiga and Kakei, of course, were forewarned even if any kind of temptation were to come over them, though that in itself was unlikely on more than purely personal levels; Kudo was less likely to be drawn towards two fully developed psychics, if the existing research was to be believed. Rikou was another matter.

One reason for this was that without Kudo conscious Kakei wasn't inclined to tell Rikuou uncomfortable details of what _might_ be. It would be Kudo's situation to confront before it would be any of Rikuou's business. Kakei didn't fancy telling the other boy too many of the intimate details of Kudo's predicament before the boy knew about them himself.

Also, explaining more of the side effects might just raise Himura's expectations too much that Kudo _would_ wake up, though Kakei despised masking that hope.

Of course, Rikuou would have to be told eventually if such effects were to resolve themselves into actual conditions. It would be endangering them both if he didn't – but Kudo first.

Meanwhile, Rikuou was looking pensive again, though he didn't voice his thoughts until prompted.

"They – the parasite I mean… It must do more than breed."

"Hm?"

"Once it breeds, what does it do? What would happen if all psychics had it? Wouldn't it stop there?"

"Unfortunately not," Kakei replied, resolving that he did owe Rikuou more of the facts – not that very many were confirmed. "Some doctors studying the parasite don't believe it's merely that; they believe instead that it could be a _parasitoid_."

"What's the difference?"

Kakei sighed, taking a moment, before replying evenly, "Most known hosts are suffering the effects. Every other known host is dead." He paused to let that sink in before finishing. "Parasitoids will _indubitably_ kill their host, whereas parasites can sometimes be extracted or treated. This species so far has been only to spread."

Those words took a long moment to sink in and the room seemed to ring with them. Rikuou sat unblinkingly, looking stunned. Saiga shifted uncomfortably, running his hands through his hair distractedly. Kakei wished he could take the words back, but what would the point? The error had been his own to risk either of the boys' health on his own conviction that the illness was a parasite – nothing more – and completely treatable. He'd thrown Kudo and Rikuou into a completely unfair situation and, presuming the best, he hadn't forewarned them. He needed to say the facts aloud now and make it clear that he assumed responsibility. Even if it took Rikuou some time to deal with the initial shock, inevitably he would realise there _was_ someone to blame for all of this.

The boy, meanwhile, was staring at Kudo's furrowed brow, his own face a mask of confusion. His eyes were narrowed as he tried to assemble the pieces of information he was hearing and put them together, and his head twitched to the side as if trying to shake off the images coming to mind.

"What..." he tilted his head, still fixated on the figure of his partner on the cot. He seemed momentarily distracted before continuing slowly. "What would be the point in killing us all? Wouldn't the parasite – or parasitoid – die at that point, too?"

"Not always." Kakei observed that Rikuou was taking the news more reasonably than expected. Most likely it was his anger's way of settling itself into a more useful state. "The host – the human host – is drawn back to the original site of infection, remember. Many victims in the final stages of infection will stay there until death. Then the original carriers from locations such as that subway tunnel – such as rats; a most popular parasitic vector – will return and begin to consume deceased host, if the body has not yet been discovered and removed by authorities. The parasite lives on in this new host to continue the cycle. In their faecal matter the parasite lives on to manifest into an airborne fungus for a time – the way that Kudo contracted it. In fact, that particular platform is known by authorities to have been the site of more than one death that, unknown to them, was probably linked to this parasite."

"But you said that only psychics are infected…"

"Still – too many deaths and a strange, unidentified fungus in the air? Even you could smell it. Because of this it fell into disuse and has been deemed a possible biohazard. As such it is being shut down. I sent you just before that would take place," Kakei added regretfully.

"Why would any parasite infect only psychics?" Rikuou ventured.

"As I said before – it feeds off of the biological chemistry that makes us different. Perhaps it means to exterminate us."

Once again Rikuou glanced at the unconscious boy. "How can it exterminate an entire society of people? _Why_ would it?"

"I truly have no idea," Kakei admitted quietly. "But surely you've noticed how few of us there are. It's quite possible that this parasite has been controlling our population for time out of memory."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Wow, guys! Thanks so much for reading! You guys who review are my favourites though. ;3 I really appreciate the comments coming in and to see your reactions. It really helps the writing process! I hope that the medical terms aren't confusing for anyone; I tried to make them clear? ?_?; I'm no doctor; I did put a lot of research in, though, to see if what I wanted to do could be done. So... Kazahaya's still not awake. Hmm... *_*;?

Please R&R!


	12. Chapter 12: Flames

12: FLAMES

Dreams or visions shifted slowly before Kazahaya's aching eyes. The light was too bright and he longed for darkness. Even in his darker visions the light seemed to scream in his eyes, but he couldn't close it out. The light came from nowhere he could see, but it burned.

In fact, his whole body felt like it was on fire; he tried to reach out with his arms but felt them pinned to his sides. A dull ache throbbed in his right arm and he looked down at it.

Kei's arms were wrapped around him, trapping him, her head tucked under his chin. Though always cold normally, here she was a living flame. Her long hair flowed around her like a red and gold aura, tainted by an unseen sunset.

"I found you…" she said in a sing-song voice, looking off into the distance at the invisible sunset.

Kazahaya started but his body didn't budge. He could barely move at all.

"Kei," he croaked, looking desperately at his sister. The sight of her made him feel desperate in every way. He had longed to see her again. Be near her again. Feel something of their prenatal bond again.

And he needed to get away from her. Get away from her soft, playful features, away from the tight grasp of her arms, away from the danger he knew to associate with any closeness to her.

"Kazahaya," she breathed against his chest, each syllable sounding like a dream. "You ran away."

"I had to—"

"I found you. You knew I'd find you, didn't you? That I'll follow you anywhere? We're the same." She shook her head, her golden hair hovering around her face unnaturally. "How could you do that to me? To try to separate two halves of a whole? _Why_?"

"Kei, I—" she squeezed him harder and he had to gasp to breathe.

"You should have remembered what we mean. You did it, Kazahaya. A zephyr breeze and you let yourself be blown away." He remembered her fear that he would one day disappear like a gust of wind. He'd made a promise to her.

A promise he'd had to break.

"Silly Kazahaya," Kei continued, eyes sparkling like firelight. "You forgot, you forgot, you forgot." She sighed again, heavily against his chest. Her breath was hot. "You forgot your promise. You forgot your name. You forgot _mine_." She sighed again and this time he was sure it felt hotter than it should. "You were the breeze that kept me cold to the touch, Kazahaya. But you left me and my name remembered itself." She brought up his hand and laced their fingers as they had done in their youth. Pain lanced through him from his fingertips through his arm. "_It remembered itself and it burned me. It burned me, Kazahaya_." She looked sadly into his eyes and he felt ashamed to have helped to put such hurt there.

"But you forgot…!" she smiled playfully again. She gripped his hand tighter and he grimaced with pain. "I am the fire, Kazahaya, feeding off your breeze. I am the fire to consume the plains you travel. I am the fire you carry, whether you will it to be or not. I will follow you. Because you are the wind and the fire needs _air_."

He felt her arms release him, but the world around him erupted into flames.

"Kei!" he cried, desperate for her to hear. "I didn't mean to break my promise!" He gasped, the air feeling thinner. Flames were consuming the oxygen around him. "But I _had_ to leave. Please…!" He coughed hard, falling to his knees. "I would never try to hurt you," he said haltingly, choking on black smoke, "but I had to leave. Please! Don't follow," he begged, trying to keep the edge of pain from his voice. This was to protect her. She had to understand.

"It's too late, Kazahaya." Kei had disappeared; become one with the flames. Her voice remained, however, singing sweetly. "We're with you now. It's all right. We'll be with you until the day you die."

Kazahaya choked hard on the smoke until he heaved miserably.

A moment later, he was bathed in ice and the girl he took to be Tsukiko was holding him.

Kazahaya's body shuddered miserably with the sudden shock of cold, but he was grateful for it nonetheless. Somehow it had dissolved the black smoke into a frosty mist that calmed his mind as it cooled his core.

Tsukiko's hands were gentle on him and cool to the touch against his skin – though not uncomfortably so. They held him gently until he stopped choking, and stayed with him as he tried to adjust to the cold. It was difficult, but her presence helped.

His body still felt limp, as much as he wanted to hold himself up in front of her – whoever she was. It had made some sort of sense to see Kei in the fiery wasteland that had surrounded him. Being pulled from it by Tsukiko was simply confusing.

Kei's parting words remained in his mind, though. "We're with you now… We'll be with you until the day you die…" It felt like a threat – one that was gnawing inside his head and buzzing loudly in his ears even as he tried not to think about it.

"They're still here," Tsukiko said smoothly, her voice as clear as rainwater, just as he remembered it – as Rikuou remembered it. "I'll help you as much as I can, but I don't know what to do about Them." Kazahaya inclined his head as much as he could, though he wasn't sure who 'They' were. Whoever They were, They frightened him beyond anything he could comprehend. _They_ had Kei, and Kei was with Them. 'They' were a threat.

_Kei_ was a threat.

"Tsukiko-san…?" the name scratched in his throat. Her hold on him shifted suddenly, then eased back to the gentleness of a moment ago.

"I'll take care of you as much as I can," she replied finally. "You need to drink this, Kazahaya-san." She helped him to sit up and let him lean weakly with his back to her chest. She displayed a glass of sweet-smelling water before him and cupped his chin gently with her free hand. "Drink, Kazahaya-san." She tipped his chin and placed the glass to his lips. Much to his chagrin, Kazahaya couldn't do more than to swallow.

And choke.

The fluid in the glass was most certainly _not_ water. It was horribly sweet, thicker than water, and tart. He coughed again and felt spilled liquid spatter against his jaw and throat. It felt sticky and chillingly cold.

He glanced quickly at the glass again, starting as he saw its contents. Gelatinous, thick and black – a foul scent started to emanate from it. He groaned in protest, turning his face as far from it as he could.

"Drink," Tsukiko urged, turning his face with a gentle but firm hand, bringing the glass again to his mouth.

"No… don't!" he pressed his lips together and clenched his teeth.

"You need to drink up. It's good for you, I promise."

The black concoction appeared anything but healthy. As he looked upon it, it bubbled a brown froth that stank as though the thing was rancid. He was certain he saw something within it move. He tried to squirm away again, but couldn't.

"k… Kei…!" he cried in desperation, fear swelling in him again.

Tsukiko started, nearly spilling the hated drink before hurriedly explaining, "You mustn't call Them back, Kazahaya-san. You mustn't. Right now it is imperative that you don't call for her. She will bring fire; you will burn. You could die." Kazahaya eyed the pale hand holding the glass with doubt once again. "This won't hurt you," she continued softly, "I promise you. It's medicine. Only your imagination makes it look so detestable. Or, moreover, They are manipulating your imagination to make it so. You mustn't succumb. Drink and you will gain strength."

Kazahaya squeezed his eyes shut as he parted his lips. Quickly he drank as much as he could while Tsukiko tilted the glass slowly for him.

A moment later he was overwhelmed by fresh sensations; worms rolled and coiled in his mouth, maggots writhed in his throat, snakes slithered across each other in his stomach, and leeches flopped and swelled wherever stray drops rained. Kazahaya tried to bolt upright, but strong arms held him against her.

"…you lied…" Kazahaya gagged.

"You make such a fuss!" she said, a belligerent smile carried on her voice. "It's only medicine."

"Tsukiko-san… Kei…!"

"You mustn't—!"

She let go and he was released into lonesome agony.


	13. Chapter 13: Leech

13. LEECH

It was Rikuou who had been monitoring Kazahaya for the hour when the boy began to groan and pant in his sleep. Sweat beaded his face and his fingertips twitched.

In the short time it took to fetch Kakei, the boy looked noticeably worse. His temperature, they noted, had jumped and his face had lost colour. He coughed once, then again before a fit racked his slender frame. Rikuou helped turn the boy onto his side to keep him from choking as Kakei stripped back the blankets and propped open a window. Saiga appeared with an empty wash bucket, confusing Rikuou until Kazahaya coughed harder until his body locked up in several wrenching spasms and he vomited, then dry heaved for a moment longer.

Kakei regarded the expulsion briefly before allowing Saiga to take it from the room. Then he turned to look gravely at Rikuou.

"More common than fever as a cause of death is dehydration. It's important we replace whatever fluids we can as soon as possible. I'll fetch you a drink and you will administer it."

Rikuou was tempted to ask _why me?_ but he had, after all, volunteered first watch over the other boy.

Saiga reappeared at the door helpfully as if to answer his unspoken question. "Well," the bigger man said, affecting a cocky grin behind his sunglasses, "you _are_ the most experienced handler here; the kid can be a tricky little animal."

Rikuou acknowledged the jibe with a silent nod, but it didn't escape his notice that Saiga's heart didn't appear to be in it tonight.

Kakei slipped past Saiga, returning to the room with a large bottle of citrus-flavoured sports drink, rich in electrolytes, nutrients and far too much sugar. Rikuou knew it to be a sickly-sweet concoction, but also one of the better ones.

"How am I supposed to get it into him? And what if he just passes it up again?" He didn't relish the task ahead of him, but his eyes strayed back to the unconscious form on the cot and he felt an edge of resolve inside himself.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Kakei replied lightly, handing him the bottle. "His body is craving nutrients one way or another, but it's weak. Just be patient with him."

Rikuou nodded again and looked down at the bottle in his hands. When he was sure they thought he wasn't paying attention to them, he shifted his gaze to the couple in the doorway, careful not to lift his head.

Through the strands of his dark hair, Rikuou could see the worry and comfort the two men shared with one another. It was an intimacy they rarely displayed in front of "the children," but of course, he wasn't supposed to be seeing it. He lifted his head and it was although the moment had never passed.

"I'll do my best," he muttered, suddenly feeling awkward. He hoped they didn't intend to stay and watch.

"I'm sure you will," Kakei replied. "Please come see me if you have any further trouble or need to take a rest."

Rikuou nodded and the doorway cleared. He breathed a sigh of relief.

He pulled Kazahaya against his chest and supported him in an upright sitting position. He sighed, stretching his legs, one at a time, out on either side of the boy.

This situation was unbearably uncomfortable. Why did Kazahaya have to have such evolved senses? Why did Kazahaya have to be the guinea pig host for some strange client?

"Tsukiko-san…?" a weak voice cracked from beneath Rikuou's pensive face. He started before securing his hold on the boy.

Why was Kazahaya saying Tsukiko's name?

He resolved to find out. Later. He wouldn't get any answers right away. He readjusted Kazahaya's position and set the lip of the bottle to Kazahaya's mouth. Mercifully, the boy took a couple of sips before apparently deciding to reject it. He stopped drinking abruptly as a fit of coughing overtook him. As the spasms eased he tried again. "Drink," he murmured gently, but Kazahaya turned his face against Rikuou's shoulder. Suppressing a frustrated sigh, Rikuou cupped Kazahaya's chin and held it in place as gently as he could, and pressed the bottle to him again.

Kazahaya groaned miserably in his arms and tried to physically resist. Stubborn brat. Trust this kid to refuse what little treatment he could be offered when he needed it most. The next noise the boy issued made him raise an eyebrow.

"k… Kei…!" Kazahaya cried weakly, brow furrowed. Was he asking for Kakei now?

Rikuou willed calmness to flow through him. He concentrated on the few times he had been sick. Of course, Tsukiko has always been able to coax him to take medicine flavoured all manner of things that had no place being called 'fruits'; cherry, grape, citrus…

Citrus. Like the sport drink.

"Drink it, you idiot; it's good for you," he grumbled, remembering with light bitterness Tsukiko's gentleness. Remembering her gentle ministrations of the foul medicines.

Kazahaya's eyelids winced as though in pain, but to Rikuou's surprise he took several long pulls from the bottle before gasping for air. It was a good start, he thought, but was soon disappointed when he saw that Kazahaya was clearly having no more of it. He gasped and cried out softly, eyes watering beneath his lashes.

"You lied," he breathed, clenching his teeth. Rikuou shifted, ready to give this little drinking game a rest for a while when he heard it again. Kazahaya was pale-faced and beads of sweat collected on his brow, but it was what the boy said shook him.

"Tsukiko-san… Kei…!"

He was on his feet in an instant, feeling a desperate resolve steel itself inside of him; he needed to speak with Kakei. _Now_.

Saiga stood just inside the doorway of the storage room, but Rikuou ignored him, heading straight to the weary-looking man seated on a weathered shipment box. Kakei had begun to form a question but it was cut short by the time Rikuou reached him. A fistful of fabric and the older man was nearly at eye-level with him.

"What the _hell_," he demanded, his voice trembling with fury, "do you know about Tsukiko that you haven't been telling me?"

"_Himura_ – Put. Him. _Down_." Saiga was nearly on him when Rikuou relinquished his hold on Kakei, leaving his fingers outstretched towards the man's throat. It was not a threat he had ever planned or desired to make use of, but it had the desired effect; Saiga was smart enough to take a hint. Himura Rikuou could _break_ things.

Kakei glanced evenly at Saiga, then to Rikuou.

"What did he say exactly?"

"Tsukiko's name." He had to try to keep his whole body from trembling now. "Then yours."

Kakei appeared genuinely perplexed, but after a long moment Saiga sighed heavily.

"Did he say Kakei's full name?" he asked.

"He can barely speak!" Rikuou countered.

"But he clearly said 'Tsukiko'," Saiga opposed, grim-faced. "Did he say Kakei – or did he say Kei?"

Caught off guard, Rikuou paused for a moment before answering. "Kei."

"Then back away from Kakei now before I feed every parasite imaginable to you," Saiga growled. Rikuou took a moment before he inclined, looking back at Kakei uncertainly; the man appeared considerably less confused.

"Kei," the pharmacist elaborated, "is the name of Kazahaya's sister."

"Not that it's any of your business," Saiga added grimly.

"His… But – Tsukiko… He said her name clearly—"

"He's sick, Rikuou," Kakei reminded him gently. "Unwell and unconscious. As such his powers are fortifying themselves as they usually do, and he's a leech for memories. If you were touching him and thinking at all of Tsukiko-san, he could have easily picked up on that."

The tension in the room began to slowly dissolve; Rikuou looking both relieved and embarrassed; Kakei a little awkward as he tried to smooth down his shirt; and Saiga shifting slightly as though he was still tensing for a fight.

Rikuou stammered out a weak apology before he lost his nerve; God knew he'd already lost his head, and lost face. He'd thoroughly humiliated himself and insulted both of the people who had tried so hard to help him. Physically attacked one of them.

But 'Kei' – Kazahaya's sister… _We_ – so many times, Kazahaya had said '_we'_ before changing the subject. Did that mean '_we'_ were Kazahaya and Kei? "He never told me he had a sister," he murmured.

"You've yet to speak to him of Tsukiko-san, either, if I'm correct?"

"Yet, somehow, he knows."

"You live together; he's a psychometric and an empath," Saiga put in sourly. "It happens."

"So he knew about Tsukiko, but I don't know about Kei? That seems a little unjust."

Kakei cocked his head to one side. "You know _of_ her, not about herl the same as Kudou-kun knows of Tsukiko-san. Consider yourselves even." He paused as Rikuou took this in, then nodded. "Now, I think it would be bestif you rejoined your companion, should he have any further difficulties."

Rikuou nodded again, feeling awkward once more, and turned to the door. As he passed Saiga, the bigger man caught his arm roughly and growled low and slowly, "And if you ever even consider laying a hand against Kakei again, I will make sure you suffer a hundredfold. Got it, kid? Have at least that much faith in us."

Rikuou lowered his head, simply nodding, not trusting himself to speak. Quickly he exited the room as Kakei quietly told Saiga that his actions weren't necessary – which made Rikuou feel worse.

He found Kazahaya dozing where he'd left him, but looking slightly better off. That made one of them; Rikuou scraped his fingers through his hair exasperatedly, letting go of a heavy sigh. He was thoroughly humiliated. He had reacted completely irrationally and without any thought. He wondered if he'd ever regain the older men's trust and respect.

"If you had just told me you had a sister," he muttered at the sleeping lump on the cot. It coughed lightly in response. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He cleared several piles of papers and envelopes from his favourite chair before leaning back into it. Kazahaya, it seemed, even unconscious, had a way of finding enough trouble for both of them.

* * *

_Author's Note:_ As a homecoming gift to myself I decided to publish the last two chapters that are proofed! I hope they are long enough to satisfy you all for a while, since it may be a long doujinshi-while before I get time to write properly. These last two chapters used to be 4 chapters, but because you all asked for it, I figured a way to work them into each other and make longer chapters. Thank you for all your input! Please keep commenting and reviewing; it reminds me that I need to work and update more and your suggestions are invaluable! Thank you for supporting me! Please continue if you have a moment! ^^ Thank you! -Rabby (And no, this isn't the end! XD I promise! Still lots to happen!)


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